Central City's Starlight
by Reader06
Summary: The meta-humans created by the explosion did not wait nine months for Barry Allen to wake up. After a criminal turned meta attacks Iris, and she is saved by her once nemesis turned sort-of friend, she realizes that Central City needs a hero. And Iris will do whatever it takes to give her city one - even if she has to drag her super powered friend kicking and screaming.


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 _ **SUMMER 1988 – Milky Way Galaxy**_

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Beams of green lights flashed across the black abyss of space. Small craters exploded into several pieces as light blue energy smashed into them.

"On your left!" A woman sounding humanoid surrounded by a deep pink aura spoke as blood poured down her face. Her words were not quick enough as violent yellow balls of light skewered the large purple creature dressed in dark blue clothes.

"Gyah!" Another scream of pain called out before being suddenly silenced; the burning red light around the sleek squid-humanoid dulling into a matte maroon before vanishing completely.

"Tu-lok! No!" A large rock skinned being called out before throwing his hand forward. A deep green light formed a barrier in front and held back a flood of yellow energy before the green glass wall shattered – sending the rock like humanoid back and into a passing meteoroid.

Green light surrounded the rock-like man – protecting him from the impact. Floating forward from behind the debris was a man – a human, earthly man – fitted in a green suit with a white and green emblem of a lantern on his chest.

"We have to do this as unified front!" The earthly man called out, turning to the rainbow of glowing colors around them. The man closed his green glowing eyes for a moment before letting them drift across the battlefield, "I know it is not my place to ask, nor would you listen…" Green eyes snapped back to the massive yellow light energy as it formed and reformed into several different nightmarish figures. The man's eyes narrowed, "But the enemy before us is beyond demons and monsters. It creates terror into anything it comes in contact with. It has caused entire civilizations to destroy themselves out of sheer paranoia. All their fear… eaten… from each and every world _touched_ by this entity of darkness… the living embodiment of fear."

"Parallax." Another male voice spoke as he flew to the earth man's side, "A nightmare like no other."

The man nodded to his green clad comrade and turned to the several green, light blue, dark blue, pink, orange, and red glowing beings – some humanoid looking, some not. The man smirked confidently at them, "Not one of us could stop such an entity on our own, but together…"

Green eyes locked with violent yellow.

"WE CAN STOP THIS DEMON BEFORE IT TAKES ANOTHER OF OUR HOMES!"

A chorus of battle cries and roars followed as several bright lights shot out from the hundreds of glowing guardians circled around the large yellow entity. The monstrous aura of yellow pulsed with a loud, ear piercing series of screeches and garbled noise. Different colored explosions filled the space stretching over miles as attack after attack pierced through the nightmare's defensives.

With one last attack left in it, the yellow entity let out one large, violent shockwave – killing hundreds of the warriors fighting against it in one quick blast of power.

The bright light died down, relieving a graveyard of corpses and in the center…

…a small ball of yellow light – no larger than a softball.

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From the floating pile of blood, pieces of flesh and limbs without bodies attached rose one man. His left arm was missing – ripped off – and he was bleeding from several open holes on his body, but even as his vision turned red from his own blood, he raised his right hand and curled it into a fist towards the yellow entity.

"In brightest day…"

The neon green ring on the man's finger lit up.

"…in blackest night…"

The small yellow ball of energy pulsed quickly and started to desperately speed away.

"…no evil shall escape my sight…"

Several green walls formed around the yellow light – stopping it in its tracks.

"…let those who worship evil's might, beware my power..."

The human man smirked as his body started to shake uncontrollably – it was shutting down and he knew it.

And it didn't matter.

The yellow light shuttered and pulsed as it tried to escape. Deep green light gathered and spun around the man.

Because today, in this moment, he defeated the mystical entity known across the entire universe as fear itself.

" **Green Lantern's light**!"

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And in the process…

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…saved his home:

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Earth.

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But if he had kept his eyes open for a second longer, he would have seen it.

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A tiny, near microscopic snowflake of yellow light floated towards the world it originally sought out to consume.

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* * *

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 _ **January 11, 2013 – Central City Jitters Coffee**_

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"I'm so sorry Iris."

Iris bristled at her co-worker's solemn tone but sent her a pained smile, "Thank you Kendra." Iris quickly turned away from her fellow barista, grabbed a rag, and took long strides towards the coffee shop's tables.

" _This was a mistake._ " Iris thought to herself as she began washing the tops of the tables. The hair on the back of her neck rose as she felt all her co-workers watch her with worried, sad eyes. " _Leave me alone!_ " Iris screamed at them without turning around, " _He's not dead so stop looking at me like that!_ "

Iris bit her lip as she stopped wiping tables to take a deep breath in.

It had been a month since her best friend, her brother in everything but blood, was struck by lightning. It was a miracle that he didn't die the moment the electricity hit him straight in the heart, but that didn't put him in the clear. He quickly slipped into a coma and over the last month, his heart had stopped a total of ten times.

And each time, Iris felt a piece of her die on the inside.

Water gathered in Iris's eyes as she grabbed a used coffee cup and placed in on her cleaning tray. She took a deep, shaky breath to try to calm herself down but it wasn't working. Why would it? Barry Allen had been – _**is**_ – a fixture of her life since she was old enough to remember. Even more than that, Barry had been with her through all her best and worst moments of her life – and she his. Iris couldn't even grasp a world without his smile, without his quirky laugh, without his heart warming clumsiness, without his amazingly creative and smart mind, and without his ever expanding and pure heart…

A hand fell on Iris's shoulder, pulling her from her thoughts. Her brown eyes snapped up to her manager's eyes. He was giving her a pain look, "Iris, please. Take the day off."

"I'm fine." Iris quickly put on her strong and masked smile she had built up over the past month, "Really."

Her manager gave her an unsure look for a moment before nodding, "Ok." His eyes traveled to the corner of the coffee shop, "In that case, that customer over there has been here since we opened – four hours ago. See if you can get them to buy something." Her manager's face quickly shifted from concerned to irritated. Iris knew the look well. Her manager hated the customers that came in, bought the cheapest cup of coffee they offered, and then stuck around for any longer than the time it took to drink said coffee.

Iris resisted rolling her eyes. It was a coffee shop. Sticking around for hours on end to work on school work, actual work, or chat with friends was practically in the description of the establishment.

But… she was being paid regardless and it would be a nice distraction from mindless tasks that allowed her to think about Barry.

After taking the dirty dishes to the kitchen, Iris made her way back out towards the customer in question. Iris could tell right away that the customer was a woman, with shoulder blade length chestnut hair. It was straightened perfectly with a bit of shine to it – product likely – with her side swooping bangs neatly pinned to the right side of her face. The woman sitting was in the corner of the room, at one of the lower, more comfortable tables with a laptop in front of her and large notebook next to her.

Iris smirked to herself, " _This will be easy._ " Iris knew exactly what type of customer she was dealing with. Unblemished skin, perfectly proportioned figure, expensive business style clothes, flawless make-up… Iris knew a rich Barbie doll when she saw one.

Iris straightened her back, put on her brightest – and rather sly – smile and made her way towards the woman. The brunette seemed oblivious to Iris's approach as she began making marks in her notebook.

"Excuse me…" Iris spoke with a small tone. It was best to start out meek and unassuming with these types of people.

The woman's hand stilled at the sound of Iris's voice. Her head lifted slightly and she met Iris's dark brown eyes.

Iris paused for a second – captivated by the woman's eyes. They were a bright, almost icy blue color, but that wasn't the mesmerizing part of them – Barry's enchanting green eyes would always be Iris's weak spot and no one would ever come close. Rather, it was the… lack of life they held? Iris had never seen such eyes before and had a hard time finding the right words to describe it.

But then, almost in an instant, the woman's eyes transformed into a more human gaze. The woman raised an eyebrow, "Can I help you?"

Iris quickly faked a smile, "I wanted to see if we could make you a coffee or heat up a small treat for you." Iris turned up the charm as she took a step forward, "Here at Jitters there is no espresso or latte we cannot make that will change the way you look at caffeine." Iris let out another grin, "I don't mean to presume, but you look like the kind of woman that would appreciate a more exclusive and sophisticated type of drink than a simple brew. We don't normally offer this drink, but I think, for you, we could-"

"No thank you." The woman answered plainly as she turned back to her notebook.

Iris blinked. " _That always works with her type…_ " Iris thought to herself with a frown before quickly putting her mask back on, "Then perhaps a pastry. We have this-"

"Here." The woman said, pulling out a twenty and handing it to Iris, "Buy whatever you like and tell your manager I ordered it."

Iris jerked back slightly with a confused frown, "Um..." Iris was lost for words but tried her best to recover, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

The woman waved her off, "This is not the first time your boss has accosted me with an employee of this establishment after I have 'over-stayed my welcome'." The woman raised an eyebrow at Iris, "However, I will say you at least confronted the situation with a semblance of intelligence, instead of just outright telling me to order something or leave." The woman began typing on her laptop, "Even if all you did was bat your eyes and flirt."

Iris frowned. A deep part in her rumbled with anger. It sounded like an insult, but Iris tried to give the woman the benefit of doubt, "What do you mean by that?"

The woman sighed heavily before grabbing the top of her laptop screen and pulling it down to close it. Turning to Iris, the woman gave her a tired, annoyed look, "Little girls like you are dime a dozen, truly. Sure you're cute and clever enough to put up a decent act, but really Little Barista..." The brunette stood up with her laptop and notebook under her arm and gave Iris a pinched smile, "Get rid of the fake eyelashes, get a real education in something other than mixed drinks, and become a meaningful part of society and not just some Mrs. No Individuality."

Iris's fell open, her back stiffened, and her fist clenched dangerously. " _She did not just…_ " Iris thought to herself in anger, " _You picked the_ _ **wrong**_ _person to mess with and the_ _ **worst time**_ _to do it, bitch._ " Iris took a step forward and hissed at the Barbie Doll like woman, "That's _**rich**_ coming from Miss Life-sized Barbie!" Iris let out a humorless life as she placed a hand on her hip, "You think that just because your Daddy's rich enough to pay your way through college so you don't have to put on your big girl pants and smile through chauvinistic shit day in and day out that, that gives you a right to judge those of that do?" Iris to a step forward to hiss in the woman's face, "If anyone ends up a dead end trophy wife, my money it's going to be you."

And with that, Iris turned heel with the woman's twenty in her hand. Slapping the twenty down at the checkout counter, Iris barked at her co-worker to bring her a latte and cinnamon roll. Iris tapped her manicured fingers against the countertop as she smirked triumphantly at herself while watching the Barbie doll-like woman swiftly walk out with her head held high and her eyes sharp.

Iris just smirked at the woman as she picked up the latte her co-worker set down and brought it to her lips for a sip. " _You know, I think today's going to be a good day after all._ "

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* * *

 _ **January 20, 2013 – Central City Jitters Coffee**_

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"Sorry Dad. Rebecca called in sick last minute, so I had to stay behind to close." Iris spoke into her cell phone as she tried to balance it on her shoulder while locking up CC Jitters Coffee. She sighed as she struggled with the deadbolt on the door. It had been a long day. She had ended up working a fourteen hour shift – voluntarily to make up some of the time she lost when Barry had first been hospitalized – and on top of that, 'Barbie' – as she had dubbed the elitist snob she gotten in a fight with her first day back after Barry's accident – was there to trade insults with her for four of those hours. The woman was an absolute menace – always looking for a way to get under Iris's skin and drive her insane.

And Iris will willing admit that the only thing keeping her from committing murder is the knowledge that it'd break her father's heart if she became a fugitive of the law.

"Head back inside and I'll have a uniform swing by to pick you up." Joe West spoke through the phone, "It's too late for you to walk home by yourself Iris."

Iris paused. It certainly wouldn't be the first time she had been picked up by one of CCPD's finest – usually by her father's new partner, Eddie Thawne – but something Barbie said today – as she was kicking the woman out so Iris could close the store – made her hiss at her dad.

 _ **A Daddy's little girl, huh?**_

"I'm not a little kid anymore Dad. I'm an adult now and I made the choice to take the late shift." Iris cheered internally as she heard the deadbolt lock successfully, "I can take the bus."

"Iris." Her father spoke in a warning tone, "It's not safe–"

"Dad, I got this!" Iris responded in a frustrated voice, "And I got to go or I'll miss the bus."

"Iris-"

Iris hit the hang up button on her phone with an angry scowl, "I'm twenty-five years old! When is he going to start treating me like an equal?!" Iris stewed on the thought for a few moments as she walked down the lit up sidewalk, towards the bus stop, before guilt started to form in her gut. Iris frowned at herself as she stopped and pulled out her phone. She looked at the picture of her father from her 'recent calls' page and sighed heavily, "He was just worried about me because he loves me and because…" Iris stopped speaking as she hit the home button to see a picture of her and Barry smiling back at her, " _…and because of Barry._ "

Iris shook her head at herself and quickly hit the button to call her father back – turning around and heading back to Jitters as she did. Something must have pulled her father away because the phone kept ringing – prompting her to leave a voicemail.

" _I should have just taken the bus like planned…_ " Iris thought to herself as she neared Jitters. She paused mid-step before calling out to the familiar figure standing at the front door of Jitters.

"Hey!" Iris yelled out to the woman that set out to make her life miserable three to four days a week, "What are you doing Barbie?"

The tall, professionally dressed woman crossed her arms and scoffed at Iris – Iris had a feeling the woman hated her nickname with a passion, but never gave Iris the satisfaction of confirming it. "I left my flash drive inside." Barbie scowled, "I need that drive."

Iris smirked and raised an eyebrow, "Miss Perfect _**forgot**_ something?" Iris pulled out her keys to the shop, "And you're hoping I could let you in?" Iris shrugged, "I don't know… I might be too stupid. You know, looking pretty is hard and I had to do it for fourteen hours today."

Barbie's scowl deepened, "Your sarcasm is sorely lacking and is unamusing."

Iris grinned wickedly, "I'm amused. That counts."

The blue eyed woman hissed out a sound of frustration before marching pass Iris.

Iris turned and raised both eyebrows, "Really? You're giving up already?"

"You're not going to let me in and I'd rather spend the next six hours redoing my work than grovel." Barbie answered back with a growl and continued walking away.

Iris smirked before frowning at herself. " _Barry would let her back in with a smile – even after everything she's done to make my work life miserable._ " Iris sighed heavily and called out, "Wait!"

The brunette stopped and turned her head and raised an eyebrow while still frowning.

Iris waved her back, "I'll let you in."

Barbie sent Iris a suspicious look before slowly making her way back. Iris quickly unlocked the door before taking a moment to glare at it. " _Now why can't it be that easy when I lock it?_ " She thought to herself as she held the door open for the woman to enter.

Iris watched as Barbie quickly made her way to the corner – her corner – and grab the flash drive on the floor.

"Thank you." Barbie spoke stiffly to Iris as she walked back.

Iris's eyebrows shot up before she let out a victorious smirk, "See, being a decent human being isn't that hard."

Barbie's eye twitched slightly as her eyes thinned, "I'll pass."

Iris shook her head and rolled her eyes as the brunette passed her and made her way towards the exit. Quickly, Iris called out, "A squad car is coming to pick me up – probably in a few minutes, if I know my Dad – and it's too late for _**someone like you**_ to be out there by yourself. I'm sure the officer picking me up won't mind taking you to your car." The parking lot for Jitters was non-existent and normally filled with cars from other businesses around them. The nearest parking lot was at least four to five blocks away and this part of Central City wasn't the safest at night – or even in the day sometimes.

Barbie bristled and turned her icy gaze towards Iris, "I am not an infant. _**I**_ of all _**people**_ have nothing to fear."

Iris frowned and quickly retorted, "You're what? Ninety pounds wet?" Iris crossed her arms, "And with those clothes and jewelry you're flaunting, you'll be a prime target."

"You know nothing." Barbie spoke coolly as she left through the exit and turned around the corner – and out of Iris's vision.

Iris sighed heavily. " _She's going to get herself raped!"_ Iris thought to herself in irritation. " _Well, hopefully that means she'll stop coming here!_ " The dark haired woman shook her head as she walked up to the entrance of Jitters and reached out to lock it. She sighed heavily to herself as she stared down at her hands, " _That's a horrible thing to wish on someone Iris._ " Iris's eyes dropped, " _I need you to wake up Barry. You are what makes me a better person. I'm already falling and I don't know…_ " Tears started to drop from Iris's eyes, "Be strong Iris. Barry is going to be just fine. You'll see." Iris smiled lightly, "He's the strongest person you know. You just need to believe in him."

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* * *

 _ **February 4, 2013 –**_ _**Trader Jane's Grocery Store,**_ _**Central City**_

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Iris paused as she stared at the list in her hand. It had only two things on it.

Medicine and stuff for chicken soup.

Iris sighed at herself before mumbling, "Who am I kidding? I can't even safely boil water, let alone make chicken soup from scratch! Ugg… Barry was always the best at these things…" Iris shook her head and frowned frustratingly as she made through the grocery market with a basket in her hand. Taking a deep breath, Iris tried to calm her nerves. "You can do this Iris, come on." Iris pulled out her phone and pulled up a chicken soup recipe, "What even goes into chicken soup?"

Iris scanned the list of ingredients on her phone. "Cooked chicken, noodles of your choice, broth – if needed – and your choice of vegetables." Iris mumbled to herself. "Ok." Iris told herself as she look back up, "Let's see…" Iris began looking around the store and successfully found appropriate looking noodles, a few fresh vegetables, and some chicken broth – just in case.

"Now for chicken…" Iris mumbled as her dark eyes scanned the area, "I'm definitely going to have to buy a cooked chicken. Making this will be hard enough… I don't need to accidently food poison my Dad while he's sick by trying to cook raw chicken by myself."

Iris made her way to where the rotisserie chickens were packaged and narrowed her eyes on the warming rack. " _Shoot! Only one left!_ " Iris thought to herself as she quickly made her way across the store to grab it before someone else did.

"Got it!" Two voices called out at once.

Iris felt her back stiffened, " _You_ _ **have**_ _to be kidding me!_ " Iris kept her grip firm on the hardened plastic covering the cooked chicken as her eyes traveled the other hand holding onto her prize. Following the pale hand to the arm connected to it and the person ultimately connect to the limb, Iris groaned internally at her horrible luck.

"Barista." Spoke the blue eyed, chestnut color haired woman that often overstayed her welcome at Jitters.

"Barbie." Iris hissed back. Iris quickly put up her cocky mask and smirked at the chestnut color haired woman, "Wow, how the mighty have fallen." Iris's grip tightened on the rotisserie chicken and pulled, "What's a valley girl like you doing in a hole in the wall market like this, Barbie? Daddy finally cut you off?"

Barbie smirked and tightened her grip on the chicken and pulled it back to her, "Such unoriginal insults. Maybe you should spend less time watching American Housewives and more time studying something more cultural – like the world news, for example."

Iris pursed her lips in irritation, "Oh and I'm unoriginal? You sound like a washed up Disney villain!" Iris pulled back on the chicken.

Barbie's eyes narrowed as she pulled the chicken back towards her, "Enough! I was here first Barista Girl! Hand the chicken over and no one gets hurt."

Had the person in front of her not been her arch-nemesis and she didn't have an incredibly sick father at home that needed this chicken for his soup – that Iris was only 60 percent confident she could make – Iris would have probably dropped to the floor laughing. Barbie really did sound like a washed up Disney villain and it nearly made her day.

Instead, Iris leaned forward and smirked wickedly at her foe, "Make. Me."

Dark brown met icy blue as angry sparks flew between them. After what seemed like ages, Barbie's expression faulted slightly. Leaning back and straightening her back, Iris was suddenly made aware home much taller Barbie was compared to her. She had to be somewhere around 5'9" or 5'10" – a stark difference to Iris's 5'4".

Iris prepared herself to tackle the tall woman before her if needed – having successfully taken down the giant that was Barry Allen more than once. Though, thinking back, Iris figured she can't really count that as a victory. She's seen an eight year old take out her adorable adoptive brother before - when Barry was twenty-three.

"I need that chicken." Barbie said with an expressionless tone and a blank look.

Iris simply met Barbie's dull gaze with a sharp look of her own, "So do I."

Another moment passed when suddenly, Barbie sighed heavily and slowly lifted her hand off of the chicken.

Iris's eyes narrowed before she raised an eyebrow in suspicion – while also quickly moving the rotisserie chicken to her basket. She wasn't about to take any chances. She wasn't an idiot.

Barbie just let out a gruff and turned her heel to walk towards the raw chicken section of the market.

Iris let out a victorious smirk and marched confidently towards the checkout line. " _Ha! Nothing can beat me now! Not even some stupid chicken soup!_ " Iris thought to herself with a wide smile. As she slotted herself behind an older woman with a basket full of groceries and looked over at the elderly woman running the checkout, Iris groaned internally, " _Except for a cart full of groceries and the slowest checker in Central City…_ "

Iris stared blankly ahead – her boredom apparent. After a couple moments, Iris turned her head to where she last saw Barbie. Iris frowned as she thought back to the whole thing. " _Why did she give up so easily?_ " Iris thought as she started to look around the store. Iris shrugged it off, " _Whatever. I just need to focus on making my Dad some mildly eatable chicken soup."_

"Two in the afternoon and they only have one checker who looks like she should be on display at a museum?" An irritated woman's voice spoke behind her.

"Seriously." Iris whispered back without turning around, "I have nothing against the elderly, but there should be a speed test for checkers or something."

"Agreed." The annoyed voice responded dryly.

Silence stretched over for a second before realization hit Iris and she spun around, "Barbie!"

The woman looked down at Iris with a raised eyebrow and an unamused look, "Your observation skills astound me."

Iris glared at the brunette, "Your ability to sound like B-list Bond villain astounds **me**."

The woman smirked slightly at Iris – clearly amused but unwilling to outwardly show it too much, "Now am I a Disney villain or a Bond villain? Make up your mind Barista girl."

Iris's gaze drifted down from Barbie's face to the contents of her basket. Iris frowned when she realized what Barbie was here for. "You're going to make chicken soup."

Barbie let out a gruff chuckle, "Just now figuring that out?"

Iris narrowed her eyes, "Why are you such a jerk? Would it really be that difficult to act like a decent person and speak civilly? The results could surprise you!"

"None of your business, yes, and I greatly doubt that." Barbie answered plainly with a bored expression.

Iris rolled her eyes. Iris turned back to the woman in front of her checking out and nearly whined out loud when she saw that the checker was stuck on a chip bag – scanning it over and over again in the hope that the computer would eventually pick it up so she didn't have to type the code in.

A thought suddenly hit Iris and she turned around to Barbie. "Hey!" Iris whispered to her. "Go complain to a manager so we can get out of here!"

Barbie's eyes narrowed, "And you can't because?"

Iris shifted her gaze slightly, "I don't want to be a jerk."

Barbie raised an eyebrow, "And so you want me to do it?"

Iris smirked, "Well clearly, you don't care about being one, so…"

Barbie scoffed and looked away with an annoyed expression, "Typical."

"What?" Iris hissed out.

"You're completely incapable of doing anything on your own." Barbie answered plainly, "I'm surprised to see you here, shopping, at all. Probably because your husband is sick and can't do anything for you right now." Barbie scoffed, "I bet you can't even make chicken soup. You probably googled a recipe on your phone and plan on hoping for the best when you actually get in the kitchen." Barbie shook her head, "That poor man."

Iris paled slightly before feeling her blood begin to boil in anger – partially because Barbie had guessed right and partially because she thought Iris was some kind of damsel that couldn't do anything herself. "That's it!" Iris barked out as she put her basket down and turned to grab the large cream pie that she had been eyeballing on the checkout belt. "This might be unoriginal, but you know what?" Iris ripped off the plastic top of the pie and smashed it into Barbie's shocked face, "You can never go wrong with a classic!"

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* * *

 _ **March 6, 2013 – Central City Jitters Coffee**_

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"Arg!" Iris growled out as she dropped a tray of dishes on the counter of the coffee shop's kitchen, "I swear! Her goal in life is to drive me insane!"

Kendra turned to hide her grin.

Iris pointed at her co-worker accusingly, "You're laughing! You're laughing at my misery!"

Kendra waved Iris off, "Sorry! It's just really funny watching you two. You're like a comedy special! I mean, you threw a pie in her face!"

"Allegedly." Rebecca, another barista, commented plainly while walking into the kitchen to grab a couple clean cups and walk back out.

Iris raised her hands in exasperation, "You all are the worst co-workers ever!" Iris let out another huff as she exited the kitchen and stopped outside the kitchen door to glare at the Barbie doll in the corner – who was sipping her ridiculously dull black coffee while typing on her laptop.

"Hi Iris!" A familiar voice called out, pulling Iris from her heated glare.

Iris blinked, "Uh, Detective Thawne?"

The pretty blond man grinned widely at Iris, "Hey! Didn't expect to see you here! How are you?"

Iris raised an eyebrow, "You didn't expect to see me here? At my job?"

Eddie Thawne froze and tried to stutter out an excuse as his eyes jotted around when he caught something that he recognized, "Uh, well, I just forgot, is all, and I was meeting a co-worker here, well kind of co-worker, and uh…" Eddie turned and waved at Iris's arch-nemesis, "Hey Ellie! Thanks for meeting me here!"

"Ellie?" Iris tried the name out and could almost taste a bitterness on her tongue as she spoke, morphing her face into a look of disgust.

Ellie – or as Iris will continue to refer to her as, Barbie – slowly brought her gaze up from her laptop and raised an eyebrow at the approaching blond man, "Detective Thawne. I do not recall making such appointment with you."

Eddie laughed nervously and sat down across from Ellie, "You don't have to pretend we weren't meeting to talk about a case." Eddie gave the blue eyed woman a helpless look before motioning to Iris, "Iris here is the daughter of good old Joe West!"

Iris frowned. She loved her father dearly, but that didn't mean she wanted to be defined by him. She was her own person and was tired of being referred to as 'West's kid'.

"And of what relevance does that have?" Ellie asked, "Little Miss Barista is her own person who will enviably make her own poorly educated choices."

Iris crossed her arms and glared as she drawled out, "Wow… that almost sounded like a compliment Barbie."

Eddie looked between the two women and held up his hands, "Ok, why does it look like I got in the middle of something that can only lead to my painful and indescribable death?"

Iris ignored him as a thought hit her, "Wait. Are you saying that Barbie's a cop?!"

Eddie opened his mouth to respond when Ellie cut him off.

"911 Call-Taker and Dispatcher actually." Ellie responded plainly, turning back to her laptop.

Iris's eyebrows shot up and turned back to Eddie, "You trust this Silicone Valley Beach Barbie Doll to _**take emergency calls from the public**_ and then _**dispatch officers to those incidents**_?"

Eddie opened his mouth to respond and quickly shut it when he was interrupted again.

"The job requires a quick and superior intellect with the ability to set aside human emotions – a concept that I know to be _**quite**_ far out of your wheelhouse, so please, do not feel belittled for not understanding Barista Girl." Ellie turned her amused eyes to Iris, "Also, while I find it fascinating that you have the ability to extrapolate an identity of who I am, given my outwardly appearance, you shouldn't judge a book by its cover." Ellie let out a deep chuckle, "But who am I kidding really? You? Thinking logically? Ha!" The blue eyed woman let out another bark of laughter.

Eddie slowly and quietly sat up with his coffee in hand and attempted to make his escape.

Iris ripped off her work apron and threw it to the ground. "I'll show you not to judge a book by its cover!" Iris growled out as she moved aggressively towards Ellie.

Ellie smirked and stood up, "What Little Barista Girl? Going to throw another pie in my face?"

"I'm going to throw something in your face alright!" Iris hissed out.

"Woah, woah!" Eddie called out as he stepped in between the two women. The blond detective looked down at Iris, "Now, come on Iris… calm down… Ellie's just kidding – she's got a really twisted sense of humor I tell you, haha…" Eddie turned his head around and grinned nervously at Elli, "Right Ellie?"

Ellie just rolled her eyes and mumbled, "How unsurprising." The brunette then grabbed her laptop and notebook and turned away from the pair, "I'd stick around to watch Detective Thawne flail about in a pathetic attempt to impress you Little Barista, but my shift is about to start. Ciao!" And with that, Ellie moved around the table and exited out of Jitters.

Iris, after watching Ellie leave, turned back to Eddie and huffed at him, "Captain Singh has to have really lost it to hire her! She's crazy! Psychopathic! Three fries short of a happy meal!"

Eddie smiled nervously at Iris, not wanting to offend her, before speaking casually, "Well, I know Ellie's not the most personable of people, but she's really good at what she does. Honestly."

Iris raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms at the detective.

"Hey!" Eddie cried out with his hands up, "Ask your Dad. He's the one that recommended her to the Chief."

Iris just stared at Eddie like he suddenly grew a second head.

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* * *

 _ **March 20, 2013 – Central City Jitters Coffee**_

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Ellie's hand paused from making marks in her notebook as her peripheral vision caught a figure sitting down across from her. The chestnut haired woman sat up straight to look into the dark brown eyes of one Iris West.

"If it isn't Little Barista Girl, to what do I owe the _**pleasure**_?" Ellie spoke with a low voice, her tone thick with sarcasm.

Iris ignored Ellie's question and leaned in with a narrowed look, "I've spent the last two weeks digging up everything there is to know about you Barbie." Iris leaned back and pulled out a small notebook of her own, "Born April 28th, 1989 to a Walter and Temperance Strider – the owners of a small, quant flower shop on N 20th. You are the oldest child of parents that look and act like they came right out of the Brady Bunch and the older sister to an eight year old boy who's so kind and sweet, he'll give you a toothache." Iris turned a page in her small book, "A perfect student through elementary, middle and high school – top marks in everything, but joined a total of zero clubs or after school activities, which only half explains why the only people who remember you are teachers and other school staff."

Ellie raised an eyebrow, "Is this supposed to intimidate me in some fashion?" Ellie leaned back and crossed her arms, "If it's doing anything, it's making me question the state of my reality. You almost sound intelligent Barista." Ellie smirked, "A scary thought."

"You only spent two years in Central City High School before you transferred into Running Start and were taking classes at the local community college." Iris continued, completely ignoring Ellie, "You spent the next two years at Central City University and completed a Bachelors in Accounting." Iris turned another page in her book and leaned forward with a suspicious look, "Somehow you were able to avoid all group activities and after school clubs – even though they are requirements – and even though you could have easily continued on and completed your Masters, you decided to work for your parents –managing all financial aspects of their flower shop. That is, until you realized that the only medical insurance your family could afford was not going to be adequate for your brother's growing medical issues."

Ellie's back stiffed before she quickly narrowed her eyes dangerously, "I'd tread carefully Miss West." Her blue eyes darkened, "Not everyone you meet is a good person."

"But you are." Iris stated simply and evenly as she continued, "My Dad speaks highly of you – and that's no simple feat. He says you're the best dispatcher he's ever worked with – honorable, reliable, quick, controlled, and have an uncanny ability to know when to send backup. He says he met you when someone tried to rob your parents shop and that you managed to talk the subject into dropping his weapon. He was impressed and told you to apply to become a cop." Iris frowned, "But you applied to the dispatching and call-taking job instead."

Ellie scowled, "Are you done Miss West?" Ellie slammed her laptop screen down and grabbed her notebook, "Because I am."

"Your parents say you're the most considerate, calm, hardworking, and loving daughter a parent could ever ask for. Your little brother is so incredibly proud of you – looks up to you like his own personal hero – that he tells everyone that walks through your family's flower shop's doors about how incredible his big sister is. And my father… he says he's relied on you more than once and trusts you more than some of the officers he's worked with for years." Iris's dark brown eyes focused on Ellie's frowning form, "But according to everyone else you're either a mute, a loner, or just a plain jerk." Iris raised an eyebrow, "The latter I can attest to."

"And?" Ellie barked out, "What's your point West?" The tall brunette took a step forward to growl in Iris's face, "Did you do this just to piss me off or just to prove to me that you're more than some future damsel in distress?"

Iris's eyes narrowed, "I didn't do this for you or to prove anything."

"Oh?" Ellie growled out, "Then why? Why after all this time did you decide to dig around in my life? What changed?"

Iris held her ground, "Tell me one thing, Barbie, and I'll answer your question."

Ellie hissed in anger, her blood boiling, before she straightened her back and smoothed out the wrinkles in her silk shirt from sitting for so long. Forcing herself to cool down, Ellie pinned Iris with a dangerous, icy look. After a moment, Ellie spoke in a low tone, "Speak woman."

Iris's dark eyes narrowed on Ellie's cold blue ones before speaking, "You have a great life, the perfect family, a good job – what happened to you that made you so mean and bitter?" Iris quickly added, "And why do you hate me so much? Is it because I am a woman, black, pretty, young, happy? Seriously, what is wrong with you?!"

Ellie scoffed, "That's four questions."

Iris rolled her eyes, "Then pick one."

Ellie stared down at Iris for several long minutes before she put her laptop and notebook back on the table. The brunette moved to sit back down, across from Iris, and continued to stare her down before scowling harshly, "I don't hate you Barista."

Iris gave Ellie an incredulous look, "Really?" Iris frowned and began motioning with her hands, "You're just going to lie and call it a day. After all that."

Ellie scowled again, "I see no point in lying."

"Riiight." Iris responded quickly, "You can't really expect me to believe you! You have done nothing but make my life a living hell ever since we met!" Iris threw her hands up in a frustrated pose.

Ellie just held her position.

Iris let out a frustrated noise, "Fine. Whatever. Glad we cleared this up. Great talk." Iris planted her hands on the table and pushed herself out of the chair to walk away, "Just fucking great."

"Wait." Ellie called out gruffly.

Iris just rolled her eyes and turned her head to give Ellie a bored look, "Yeah? Looking to spew more garbage? You know, add to the bad blood between us."

"Sit." Ellie said evenly.

Iris just crossed her arms and didn't move.

Ellie's eye twitched slight before she let out a defeated sigh and motioned to the chair Iris was just in, "Please."

An eyebrow shot up on Iris's face, "Come again."

Ellie gave Iris an irritated look.

Iris let out a light victorious smirk before shrugging, "Fine." Iris sat back down, "Now talk."

Ellie scowled but started speaking in an even tone, "You caught me on a bad day back when we first met. An older boy had been picking on my little brother for a while and recently started physically harming him. When I confronted the boy's mother, she ignored me, so I went to the school administration to file an official complaint. The woman seemed to expect it – my brother is likely not the first victim of her hellion of a child – and rebutted my claims with flirty looks, thick eyelashes, and a few lingering touches. Needless to say, she got her way." Ellie let out a gruff sound, "I was furious and when you tried to do the same to me, I lashed out."

Iris raised an eyebrow, "Fine, but what about after?"

Ellie matched Iris with a raised eyebrow of her own, "You threw a pie in my face."

Iris couldn't stop the grin growing on her face, "Ok, fine." Iris let out a laugh and wide grin, "But you have to admit, that was pretty hilarious."

Ellie let out a low chuckle before drawling out, "Agree to disagree."

Iris smirked back, "Uhuh." Iris paused for a second before speaking with a honest tone, "By the way, it's because of my Dad."

Ellie raised her eyebrow.

Iris rolled her eyes, "You asked why I never bothered learning anything about you until Eddie told me that you were a Dispatcher at CCPD – it's because you are a key player in making sure my Dad is safe out there." Iris gave Ellie a serious look, "I had to know what kind of person you really were."

Silence took over the space between the two women for a few moments. Both weren't sure where to go from here and it almost felt too awkward to just get up and leave without saying anything else.

Iris bit the inside of her cheek before speaking slowly, her eyes drifting, "So…"

Ellie pursed her lips, "Mhmm."

Two tables down from them, a Jitters employee swept the floor.

"I really should be going." "My lunch break is over." Both woman spoke quickly at the same time as they got up from the table. They stopped suddenly when they both realized what the other said.

Iris just threw her head back and laughed, "How about we start over?" Iris stuck her hand out, "Iris West – Central City's Future Star Reporter."

Ellie raised an eyebrow before closing her eyes and smiling lightly. Ellie opened her eyes back up and grasped Iris's extended hand, "Ellie Strider – no fancy title."

Iris let out a laugh as she shook Ellie's hand before letting go. Iris just shook her head at Ellie before turning around and walking towards the coffee shop's kitchen, "See you tomorrow Barbie!"

Ellie just scowled.

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* * *

 _ **April 20, 2013 – Central City Jitters**_

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"Why does this city have to be so… sciency?!" Iris whined out before dropping her head on the table with the thud.

Ellie wrote in her notebook as she answered plainly, "I believe the science community may take offense to your use of the English language." Ellie paused and tapped her pen against her chin, "Actually, considering they named one of the planets 'Uranus', I feel need to reconsider that statement."

Iris looked up at her friend, "You're not helping Barbie."

Ellie shrugged before smirking, "Perhaps you could _convince_ one of these nerds to explain one of Mercury Labs' newest inventions for your article." The finely dressed brunette motioned to the men typing on their laptops around them.

Iris gave Ellie an exasperated look, "Really? We start off as mortal enemies because you thought I used my good looks and charm to get whatever I want and now you're telling me to do just that?" Iris pointed at Ellie, "You, Barbie, are ridiculous! Ridiculous!"

Ellie paused for a second in though, "Should I be proud or offended?" Ellie shrugged again, "Going with smugly proud." The brunette smirked at Iris before speaking again, "In any case… what are you going to do about your school assignment?"

Iris groaned and ran her hands through her hair, "I don't know!" Iris sighed heavily as she rested her upper body on the table and mumbled, "I wish Barry was awake…"

Ellie frowned. This wasn't the first time Iris had brought up her comatose adoptive brother.

She knew of the CCPD CSI who was struck by lightning – almost five months ago now – before the boy had been hospitalized. Ellie had spent a considerable amount of time trying to keep him pinned down. Dispatchers didn't have to keep track of CSIs, but Ellie did as a personal favor to Detective West. The kid was a slippery brat though. He eventually forced Ellie to pull out her old college mathematics book on probabilities and study the theories again, in order to better track the ever disappearing Bartholomew Allen. She had even spent a considerable amount of time learning about kid through PD gossip vines to better guess where he snuck off to while at work.

One time she had pinned him down in Star City, not long before the Particle Accelerator accident. _**That**_ night had been a particular frustrating one – having used _**several**_ resources to check the city top to bottom in order to ease the overly protective Detective West, who couldn't find hide or hair of his kid and was looking to give himself a heart attack with worry. It was only when she checked several feeds that she caught chatter of a man in Star City that had stolen a large piece of tech that could have only been forklifted out, but reports suggested that the man picked it up and carried out by hand.

Ellie had heard Detective West complain about his adoptive son's wild imaginations of the unexplainable more than once and quickly deduced that the slippery brat had made his way there. One call to Queen Consolidated later and another to Detective West, and Ellie dusted her hands of the situation.

"Your little Slippery Brat has a reputation for tardiness." Ellie told Iris with a slight smirk, "An average coma lasts approximately five weeks. Taking into account Slippery Brat's history, averaging out the his lateness in minutes, removing the outliers, and coming up with the ratio between minutes late and minutes worked, taking that ratio and comparing it to weeks in a coma… it stands to reason that your brother will wake up sometime in the early fall."

Iris blinked at Ellie before leaning back and laughing hard. Wiping a tear of laughter out of her eye, Iris shook her head, "How about I just interview you for my school project? You sound very sciency."

Ellie made a disgusted face, "Pass. The field of science is like an abstract painting – changing with each new generation of nerds and geeks – unlike mathematics which is consistent in every universe and can explain anything from simple mercantile transactions to complex human behavior."

Iris raised her hands and clapped them together, "Sounds like science to me and I doubt my teacher will notice."

Ellie shook her head and smiled lightly in amusement as she brought her coffee cup to her lips.

Iris's eyes softened as she looked over at her friend, "And thanks Barbie." Iris brought her hands around her own cup and smiled down at it, "I'm looking forward to introducing you two." Iris grinned widely at Ellie, showing off her bright white teeth, "I have a feeling Barry is going to love you."

Ellie took a sip of her coffee, " _Until he figures out that I'm the one that's always selling him out to Joe_."

"Iris?" A low voice called out with smooth undertone.

Iris turned around and raised both her eyebrows. She hadn't seen that face in a long time.

"Long time no see." The tall muscular man said with a smug look as he swaggered over to their table.

Ellie brought her coffee cup back up to her lips as she mumbled lowly, "And here I thought you were a nerd magnet – not a muscle head magnet."

Iris gave her friend a pinched grin as she mumbled back, "Quick. Scare him off with your wicked witch of the west act!"

"Wow Iris." The man whistled out, "You… look amazing."

Iris sent the buzz cut man an uncomfortable smile, "Thanks Tony…" Iris stopped talking, hoping he would get the hint and move along. After a couple moments of awkward silence of Tony staring at Iris, Iris shifting her gaze to the side, and Ellie watching with interest as she tapped her fingers on her notebook, Iris spoke, "You… too?"

Ellie let out a low snort in amusement – to which Iris kicked her under the table.

"Thanks!" Tony said as he flexed his arm muscles. "I mean, I work out. There's a gym next to my place in Keystone." Tony looked Iris up and down before licking his lips, "You should… stop by sometime."

Ellie made the poor choice of taking a sip of her coffee in that moment and quickly choked on it at the man's bluntness.

Iris just paused to let the comment pass as if he never said it before speaking, "Well… I'm not working right now and I'm actually catching up with a friend so…"

"Well then..." Tony said with a smirk as he walked over to lean forward on the table between the two women, "How about I buy you two a drink?" Tony looked over at Iris and gave her a 'smoldering' look, "What time you off babe?"

Iris leaned back, away from Tony, and gave him a pinched look, "Sorry Tony, but I don't think my boyfriend would approve." It was a lie. Iris hadn't been on a date in nearly a year, but she had a feeling Tony wasn't going to take 'no' for an answer. Iris opened her mouth to tell Tony to leave when she saw her co-worker waving wildly by the checkout, behind Tony. Iris frowned as she locked eyes with her panicked co-worker who pointed at the TV in the corner of the dining area. Iris's stomach flopped when she saw what was on the TV.

Tony Woodward; 6'3"; 220 lbs; Wanted by CCPD; Armed and DANGEROUS

"He's a cop – my boyfriend that is." Iris added quickly with a tight smile, "And he'll be here to pick me up in just a second."

Tony raised an eyebrow, "I thought you were catching up with your friend."

"I am." Iris swiftly replied, "He's picking us both up and then we are going to go out and…" Iris swallowed stiffly as Tony turned around to see his mug shot displayed clearly on the TV.

Ellie twisted around in her chair to see what they were looking at and frowned. Realization quickly hit Ellie, which had her jumping up and pulling Iris back and away from Tony. The blue eyed brunette straightened her back and stood tall while moving Iris behind her before locking eyes with the large brute in front of her, "If you leave now, they won't be able to catch you."

Tony pushed him off of the table and smirked, "Now why would I care about something like that?"

Ellie's eyes narrowed, "Don't do something you will regret." Ellie's lifted a hand to keep space between her and Tony, "Trust me. It's not worth it."

Tony just laughed and squared his shoulders at her, "And what do you think you're going to do?" Tony looked Ellie over and smirked, "A little thing like you?" Tony nodded to her and took a step forward, to which Ellie took a step back – pushing Iris back with her. "The most dangerous thing on you is your heels, but even if you had a gun – it wouldn't help you."

"CCPD! HANDS IN THE AIR!"

Three sets of eyes turned to the door leading into Jitters to see four CCPD officers rush in with their guns up.

Tony just smirked confidently at them before shaking his head.

"HANDS IN THE AIR! WE WON'T TELL YOU AGAIN!"

Iris's dark eyes went wide as she watched Tony's skin turn gray and metallic – like he had just transformed into a steel statue.

Tony turned towards the police officers with his arms out and began walking slowly towards them with a smug look on his face. Shocked and terrified by the man's appearance and his movements towards them, one of the officers shot off a round at the large steel man – which prompted the rest to start shooting at Tony.

Iris stared wide eyed and mouth agape as the bullets simply flickered off of Tony and onto the ground. After the last round of bullets rang and Tony was still standing unscathed, he spun around to rip one of the coffee shop's tables from where it was bolted to the ground and flung it at the officers. The officers were knocked back and Tony used the opening to sprint forward and slam his metal fist into the nearest officer.

Screaming rang through the coffee shop as people began fleeing out the back in a panic. Ellie quickly grabbed the petrified looking Iris and pulled her towards the back exit. "Iris! Iris!" Ellie shouted at her, "We need to move!"

Iris just stared at the blood pooling around the officer Tony hit. Rick Phillips, Iris's mind supplied. He had a seven year old girl at home and another little girl on the way. Just yesterday, Iris passed him in the precinct when looking for her Dad.

Now he was dead.

Worse than that…

He was in split in two.

.

Iris felt bile quickly rise up from her stomach and eject out her mouth.

"Shit." Ellie hissed as she jumped back to avoid Iris's projectile vomit. The brunette quickly side stepped the bile and moved to pull Iris's arm over her shoulder. "Come on Iris, just lean on me and I'll get you out of here." Ellie told Iris as she moved her free arm around Iris's waist and began to drag her out. It was just the two of them left in Jitters – the rest having already raced out of the building or jumped out the windows.

"Hey!" Tony's voice rang through the empty coffee shop. Ellie turned to see the metallic man break one of the officers' arm before pointing at the two of them, "I wasn't done talking with Iris. We have a lot of… catching up to do." Tony kicked the twitching officer out of the way as he began to move forward.

Ellie let out an even breath as she assessed the situation. She could hear sirens in the distance, but knew they were too far out. Her eyes shifted down to where the four officers lay… broken – probably dead – on the ground behind Tony. Finally, Ellie moved her eyes to beside her where Iris seemed to be coming out of her shock.

"Iris." Ellie spoke evenly.

Iris let out a ragged breath but answered cleanly, "Get out of here Ellie. Tony's an old bully of Barry's. He probably just wants to prove something to me." Iris brought her dark brown eyes up to Ellie's blue ones, "He won't go after you, so go!"

Iris grabbed Ellie and shoved her towards the back exit. "Go!" Iris told her with a commanding tone, "Go Barbie! Get out of here!" Iris used her body weight to push Ellie forward and a few feet away from her – towards salvation – before quickly spinning on her heel to face Tony.

Iris took a deep breath as she brought her gaze up to meet Tony's – who was just a few feet away from her. Tony smirked at her, his skin turning back into a dark olive color, "What do you think Iris? Pretty sweet huh?"

Iris spat at him, "You just killed a father of two! How is that 'pretty sweet'?!" Iris took a step back as Tony slowly moved forward. Water gathered in Iris's eyes – whether it was from fear or pain of watching someone be murdered in front of her, Iris wasn't sure. Her dark eyes quickly jotted around to look for something, anything that she could use to defend herself with.

Tony just laughed at Iris as she picked up a thin plastic chair and held it out in front of her defensively, "Really? You're going to attack the _**man of steel**_ with a flimsy plastic chair?" Tony clapped his hands together with a bark of laughter before pointing at Iris, "This is why I've always liked you Iris! You make me laugh." Tony's eyes travel slowly up and down Iris's form, "That and your hot ass body."

Iris let out a sneer of disgust, "And this is why I've always found you revolting!"

Tony's face scrunched in anger at Iris's response, "What, am I too much of a man for you?" Tony sneered, "Where is that pathetic little twig that was always following you around anyways? Did the freak finally snap like his dad and murder some helpless broad?"

Iris gritted her teeth, "Don't you dare talk about Barry like that!"

Tony just laughed as he took another step forward, "Oh wait, I think I read something a while back. Something about an accident that killed him or whatever." Tony smirked as he stopped in front of Iris – who held the chair out protectively in front of her. She knew it wouldn't protect her, but it at least created space between the two of them.

"Barry's not dead!" Iris growled.

Tony just shrugged with a smug, "Doesn't matter to me either way." Tony lifted a hand to click his fingers as a thought hit him, "Actually… I hope he is still alive." Tony transformed his skin into the thick metal-like substance before smacking the plastic chair out of Iris's hands and across the room. Tony smirked as he stepped forward again – just a breath away from Iris – before he spoke again, "I'd love to see the expression on his face when he learns that I got to fuck you before he did."

Iris was paralyzed in fear as Tony reached out to grab her, knowing that there was absolutely nothing she could do. Not against him. Not against such a… monster.

Suddenly, a blinding yellow light shot through the air and blasted Tony in the side – sending him flying across the room. Glass went flying as Tony's limp form smashed through the glass windows and then skid across the street – pulling up pieces of pavement as he did.

Iris could only stare in pure amazement before her head snapped back to where the yellow light came from. Her dark eyes widened at what she saw.

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"…Barbie?"

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* * *

 _ **April 20, 2013 – West Residence, Central City**_

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" _ **Today in central city, at our city's most beloved coffee shop – Jitters – a man killed four officers.**_ " Spoke a news anchor on the TV, " _ **Witnesses say it was the wanted fugitive, Tony Woodward, but perhaps even more perplexing, witnesses say that when officers shot at Woodward the bullets just ricocheted off – like he was made of metal**_!" Another anchor got on and responded to his partner, " _ **What do you think the cops can do against a man like this, Jenny?**_ " The female anchor shook her head, " _ **God only knows, Mark."**_

Iris paced around in the living room of her childhood home. Just three hours ago, she watched an old high school classmate and her best friend's former bully kill four people – CCPD officers. Just three hours ago, she thought she was going to be raped or killed or raped and killed by said former high school classmate and wanted fugitive. Just three hours ago, Iris thought the craziest thing she heard was a lightning man killing her best friend's mother.

Now, three hours later, Iris **knew** a man that could _**turn himself into pure steel**_ and a woman that _**shot balls of yellow fire out of her hands**_.

"Iris." Ellie drawled out in a bored tone. Iris had been giving her the silent treatment since the incident at Jitters nearly three hours ago now. The chestnut color haired woman sighed with an annoyed look before kicking up her feet and leaning back against the West's couch to look at one of the magazines Joe had lying around. " _Ah._ " Ellie thought to herself with a content smile, " _The latest addition of Better Homes and Gardens. Good choice Detective._ "

Ellie had already spoken with her parents to assure them that she was fine, but might have to go into work, so to not expect her until later that night or early morning the next day. After learning that she didn't have to go in, her plan was to go home right after the police released the witnesses – nearly two hours ago now – but then Joe pulled her off to the side and asked her to stay with Iris, since he had to work on tracking Tony Woodward down – who got away just as more cops showed up – before he hurt anyone else.

Ellie began to chew on her bottom lip in boredom as when her eyes caught an interesting sounding recipe. Just was Ellie was begun making a mental list of ingredients she would need to pick up, Iris stopped right in front of Ellie and looked at her with a wide eyed expression of disbelief and frustration. "Your hands glowed yellow!"

Ellie didn't look up from her magazine as she continued to page through it, "Uhuh."

"You shoot yellow balls of fire!" Iris screeched out.

Ellie's paused slightly, "Ehh, it's not fire acutally, but-"

"You took out the man of steel!" Iris cried out with an incredulous look and her arms flailing about.

Ellie paused this time and slowly let her head drift up with a mildly curious look, "I have a feeling, somewhere, someone is not pleased with that comparison."

"BARBIE!" Iris exclaimed with her hands out like she wanted to strangle her friend.

Ellie raised an eyebrow, "Present."

"You have super powers!" Iris continued but with a more hushed tone.

"Yeah… about that…" Ellie spoke dully as she turned back to her magazine, "I hear the U.S. Government is quite the collector when it comes to the paranormal and I have bills to keep paying so…" The brunette turned another page and began to eyeball a particular cute set of pillows, "Be a dear and keep what you saw between the two of us." Ellie wasn't too worried about Iris spilling the beans. She hadn't when the police questioned her – which Ellie was prepared to rebut, but was pleasantly surprised when she didn't have to.

"Barbie." Iris spoke again in an awed tone, "You have _**super powers**_."

Ellie slowly raised her head to look up at Iris, "Yeah. You said that." Ellie then got up from the couch to grab a piece of pizza off of the dining table. Joe had the officers watching the West Residence bring a pizza with them for the two girls. "Did metal man hit you in the head while I had my back turned? Seems to me like you finally lost your marbles." Ellie took a bit and let out a chuckle, "Aw, who am I kidding? You lost those a long time ago, Little Barista." Karma was quick to get the brunette back when she saw a drop of grease from the pizza land on her silk top. "Dammit… grease stain."

Iris stared at Ellie like a hand just grew out of her neck, "We nearly _**died**_ by something…" Iris frowned waved her hands around rapidly, "…something I've only ever seen in Barry's comic books and you…" Iris pointed to Ellie's shirt, "...the first time you decide to cuss is over some _**grease stain**_?!"

Ellie grabbed a paper towel and tried to soak up some of the grease off of her nice shirt as she mumbled, "It's Calvin Klein. Their clothes aren't cheap you know."

Iris let out a groan of frustration as she spun around to flop down on her couch. As Iris slouched into the couch cushions, a thought suddenly hit her. "Barbie!" Iris cried out, jumping up and racing over to the pale skinned woman.

Ellie raised an eyebrow as she looked down at the shorter woman, "Barista."

Iris's eyes were wide with panic, "My Dad's out there, trying to capture Tony who is…" Iris struggled to find the right word, "…made of metal!"

Ellie's eyebrow arched higher, "…You don't say? Huh. Must have missed that one."

Iris sent Ellie an annoyed look before explaining herself, "Barbie, my Dad, CCPD – hell, probably even the U.S. Army – have _**no**_ chance in taking this guy down!" Iris grabbed Ellie by the shoulders and shook her, "My Dad's going to get hurt! Or worse, he'll…!" Iris sucked in a breath as water started to sting in her eyes.

Ellie let out a deep breath, "Look Iris. You're Dad's smart. I know he'll take every precaution to keep him and his men safe." The brunette shrugged, "And who's to say the army doesn't have some kind of anti-alien department."

Iris blinked, "You think Tony's an alien?" Iris's mind raced in overdrive as both her eyebrows shot up, "Are _**you**_ an alien?!"

"What? No! Of course not…" Ellie replied quickly as she made a hand motion, "I mean, aliens? Crazy! You're crazy."

Iris crossed her arms and gave Ellie a deadpanned look.

Ellie quickly switched topics, "Point is…" Ellie stressed, "Your Dad will be just fine. I'm sure CCPD is being kicked off the case by the FBI or the NSA or one of the acronyms as we speak."

Iris shook her head, "You don't understand." Iris let out a shaky breath, "Tony… he went after _**me**_. He was Barry's biggest bully all through school and Barry… he's like the son my father never had. Dad didn't like Tony to begin with, but now that he's gone after _**me**_ …" Iris ran a hand through her hair, "He's not going to let this go – even if he's told to back off. Not until Tony's behind bars."

Ellie didn't disagree. Everyone in the precinct who knew Detective Joe West knew how important his children were to him, but Ellie in particular knew the lengths Joe West went to keep his kids safe and under a watchful eye. Which was why she was standing here… bored out of her mind… watching over his daughter – who should still be in shock over her near death/rape experience today.

"We've got to go after him." Iris spoke in a completely serious tone.

"Come again?" Ellie asked in an incredulous tone, "It sounded like you just said _**we**_ need to go after a _**very**_ angryand _ **very**_ bulletproof old school bully of yours."

"Barry's old school bully." Iris corrected as she locked eyes with Ellie, "Tony went through four CCPD officers like they were butter. We have to find him before my Dad does! My Dad doesn't understand what he's up against! He never believed Barry about the man in the lightning and I know he didn't believe me when I told him that Tony was… whatever the hell he is!"

Ellie gave Iris a dull look, "You keep saying _**we**_ …"

Iris nodded, "Yeah, you and me." Iris motioned at Ellie, "Every bullet CCPD fired at Tony just bounced off of him, but you Barbie… you sent him _**flying**_!" Iris let out a breath of wonderment, "You're a superhero Barbie! You're the only one in this whole city that can stop him." Iris smirked confidently, "And I'm going to help you."

Ellie waved her hand back and forth as she spoke, "Oh no. That sounds like an _**awful**_ idea. You're worst yet Barista." Ellie crossed her arms with a raised eyebrow, "And let me tell you, that's no simple feat."

Iris scowled, "Don't make me go get the pie out of the fridge."

Ellie gave her a suspicious look, "…you wouldn't."

Iris smirked and crossed her own arms, "Oh, I would."

A small battle of wills ranged between the two woman's eyes before Iris let out an angry growl, "We don't have time for this." Spinning around, Iris grabbed the handheld PD radio that her father kept by the door – in case he didn't have time to swing by work – and turned it on, on scan mode. "We need to figure out where Tony is before my Dad and the police do."

"It's been three hours since he was last seen." Ellie told Iris, "By now, CCPD should already have an idea where he's hiding out at and are probably taking him down as we speak." Ellie shook her head at Iris, "And if you think dispatch is going to air any useful information for everyone and their brother to hear…"

"I know." Iris interrupted quickly as she pulled out her phone and smirked at Ellie, "There's a reason I'm going to be CC's next star investigatory reporter, Barbie. Watch and be amazed."

Ellie raised an eyebrow with an unimpressed look.

Iris just grinned wickedly before she started speaking into the phone with a pitched tone, "Hey, it's Spivot. Captain Singh called me in to help with the whole 'man of steel' situation…" Iris paused to listen to the person on the other side of the phone before letting out a fake laugh, "I know, completely crazy. Anyways… I spilled coffee over the address the Captain gave me." Iris let out another giggle, "You know me, ever the clutz…" Iris paused again before walking over to the side table next to the front door and grabbing a pen. "Uhuh… uhuh… got it… perfect…" Iris spoke while writing the address down, "And will do. Thank you again Steph. You're the best. Uhuh. Bye."

Ellie crossed her arms and shook her head with a dull expression.

Iris simply grinned and walked around Ellie to peak out the window. "The patrol car is still there…" Iris thought out loud, "We're going to have to sneak out the back." Iris opened the closet next to the front door and grabbed a coat, a flash light, a small black duffle bag, and an expandable striking baton. "Meet you in the car." Iris told Ellie as she walked out the back door.

"Car? But you don't have a…" Ellie turned to look where one of the CCPD officers set her keys after dropping off her car at the West Residence. "Dammit…" Ellie hissed as she raced after Iris.

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* * *

 _ **April 20, 2013 – Old Town, Central City**_

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Ellie crouched down next to Iris while staring at a passing rat. They were right around the corner of the Mercury Lab's Abandoned Warehouse and Ellie couldn't help but scrunch her noise up at the smell. They were in the oldest part of Central City that was once ruled by one of CC's worst gangs and had yet to be cleaned up to meet the New Mayor's 'clean streets' initiative. The old, cracking buildings and various qualities of graffiti decorating them didn't bother Ellie in the least – nor did the thick smell of death and various bodily fluids, if Ellie was being completely honest – but the rats?

Ellie's nose scrunched up again as she watched another rat race across the top of a nearby ledge. "I hate rats." Ellie grounded out.

"Shh!" Iris hissed at Ellie, "Looks like they just finished pulling the last person out of the apartment complex right next to the warehouse. They'll be heading in any second now." Iris pulled out a ski mask and shoved at Ellie, "We need to move. Quick!"

Ellie looked down at the black knitted ski mask, "You have to be kidding me…" The brunette gave Iris a sour look, "And for the last time, Barista Girl, there will be no 'playing cop' for the two of us!" Ellie looked back at the mask, "What the hell is this for anyways? What are you expecting me to do, rob him?"

Iris rolled her eyes and put on her own ski mask, "It's so our identities remain secret. Now come on!" Iris motioned with her hand for Ellie to follow her as she moved around the backside of the building. She paused when her eyes caught the flashing of red and blue lights. Looking around, Iris turned down an abandoned alleyway.

"Secret identities?" Ellie hissed as she followed after Iris and whispered aggressively at the dark haired woman, "We are not some team of crime fighting super heroes-"

" 'Heroines' is the correct term." Iris corrected with a smirk as she snuck behind the complex's large dumpster.

"You're insane." Ellie spat out, "I-see-butterflies-everywhere insane!" Ellie hissed as she looked around, "This is insane!"

Iris quickly slipped through an open door leading into a large abandoned warehouse next to the apartment complex before looking back at Ellie with a smug look, "Yeah. You said that."

Ellie pursed her lips angrily and pointed at Iris, "Oh… don't you dare quote me to me."

Iris's arm quickly shot out in front of Ellie before crouching down behind an old metal shipping container – pulling Ellie down with her. Iris sucked in a deep breath as her eyes followed the sole figure walking around with a confident swag to his stride. Iris's dark eyes narrowed, "Something's not right." Iris turned to Ellie and motioned to the ski mask, "Quick, put that on!" Iris's eyes snapped back to Tony's non-metal form, "You'll need to act quick – before whatever he's planning happens."

"And what are we going to do about your father's small army of CCPD cops?!" Ellie hissed back as she begrudgingly pulled the ski-mask over her head, "I'm not bulletproof Iris!"

Iris sat down the duffle bag she carried in and unzipped it. Iris pulled out a couple flashbangs and smoke bombs. Stuffing them into her pockets, Iris got up slightly with her expandable baton in her left hand. "I'll take care of them. All you need to do is knock out Mr. Clearly Compensating for Something so the CCPD can arrest him without causalities." Iris told her before quickly crouch-walking away.

"Iris!" Ellie hissed aggressively after the 'battle commando' Iris West before cursing lowly when she was out of sight. Ellie looked back over to where Tony was now just standing – waiting… for something. "All you need to do is knock him out Barbie." Ellie spoke in a mimicking tone, "This is so stupid and reckless and…" Ellie bit her bottom lip in frustration as she continued to mumble angrily, "…flying by the seat of her pants… where does she even get the balls to take on a team of CCPD officers and some kind of military experiment gone wrong… it's like she has no fea-"

Ellie's eyes widened in realization before her head snapped to the direction she last saw Iris, "…Oh shit."

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* * *

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Iris crouched behind another abandoned shipping container before sneaking her head around to see her father talking with another officer in SWAT gear. Standing around them two were at least a dozen officers in tactical gear and rifles in their arms. Iris bit the bottom of her lip as her eyes stilled on her father's armor-vest back. Back at the apartment and the whole way here Iris had been one-hundred percent in mission mode. Logically, she knew she was scared and worried for her father, but emotionally – she felt nothing; just a powerful strength to push forward and make things happen.

Now… seeing her father in a tactical gear… bulletproof vest… gun in hand with a spare on his side… surrounded by a whole team of trained sharpshooters…

It was like the _**reality**_ of the situation hit her like a ton of bricks. Her father might die tonight. Tony might die tonight. _**She**_ might die tonight.

A powerful wave of fear exploded inside her – leaving Iris paralyzed.

" _What the_ _ **hell**_ _was I thinking?!_ " Iris screamed at herself before a proverbial bucket of ice water hit her, " _And I forced Barbie to follow me!_ " Iris grabbed her head with both of her hands and stared blankly at the ground – water gathering in her eyes as she screamed at herself, " _What the hell is wrong with you Iris?!_ "

 _ **You're a superhero Barbie!**_

Iris snorted at herself as she thought of her earlier words, " _Pulled that one straight from Harry Potter… real original Iris._ " Iris smacked herself in the face, " _Stupid, stupid!_ " Iris groaned internally, " _And now you sound like Barry…_ " The dark haired, ski masked wearing woman stared blankly at the ground, " _What are you going to do now Iris? Barbie's probably turned tail and run – as any sane, intelligent and non-suicidal person would – or worse, she actually trusted you knew what you were doing and is going to try to take out the 'Man of Steel' and will probably get shot while doing so because you finally came to your senses and realized that not only are you_ _ **not**_ _a trained_ _ **anything**_ _but is also a coward who's too afraid to move!_ "

Iris let the back of her head smack against the metal shipping container as she leaned back with a heavy sigh. Iris blinked back the watery pain in her eyes. How did her dad do this? How did he go to work, day in and day out, knowing that he might not make it home? Or worse, that one of his co-workers, his friends would die because of decisions he made?

Iris suddenly understood why her father was so upset with her for applying for the police academy. He was more than worried about her dying while on duty – he was trying to protect her heart.

Iris let out a humorless smirk, " _It was a good thing I pulled out my application. I don't have what it takes._ "

"THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING MR. WOODWARD!" Captain Singh's voice called out through one of the patrol car's overhead speaker, pulling Iris from her internal struggles, "COME OUT WITH YOUR HANDS UP NOW OR WE WILL ENTER WITH FORCE!"

"COME AND GET ME!" Tony roared back with a wicked laugh.

Iris watched Captain Singh sigh before nodding to her father. Joe nodded back to his captain and lifted his hand to motion his team to follow him into the building. As the officers entered the dark and quiet warehouse with their guns pointed out in front of them and their mounted flashlights on, Joe moved his gaze slowly through the room – taking careful steps forward as he did.

"Can't say I'm surprised to see you here… with a gun pointed at my head, Mr. Detective Joe West." Tony's amused voice echoed through the steel walls as he stepped into the light – the light reflecting off of his metallic body with a shine. "You never did like me."

Joe stilled his steps and kept his steady gaze on the young man before him. Joe's voice was even and commanding as he spoke, "On the ground with your hands behind your head, Tony. You are surrounded. If you try to run or attack us, we will be forced to shoot."

Tony smirked, "You know, after you got me kicked out of school, I was pretty pissed." Tony took a step forward with his arms wide open to show he wasn't carrying anything. "Little Barry Allen goes crying to his fake daddy and I suddenly I go from the High School's star athlete to some low life criminal without a high school degree that no one will hire!"

All the officers stiffened and held their rifles tightly. "Those are choices that you made Tony. Now on the ground! One more step forward and we will shoot!" Joe shouted in a commanding tone.

"But then I became a god!" Tony laughed out with a wide grin as if Joe had not said anything, "And I realized something. You want to know what it was Detective West?"

Tony took another step forward towards Joe, prompting the SWAT team to take fire. The harsh sound of gun fire rang through the steel encased building as the thick stench of gunpowder filled their air with a light smog.

Joe's eyes widened as he watched the bullets propel off of Tony's body and ricochet into a couple of his officers – sending them back and to the ground. Around six officers plus Joe were left standing – in awe and shock of what they had just witnessed. They had heard the report from the witnesses at Jitters but all assumed it was their shock speaking. Never before had they thought that… _**this**_ was possible.

Tony dusted a piece of shattered bullet off of his shoulder before turning to smirk at Joe.

"I realized that this was the universe's way of correctly what was wrong." Tony grinned wickedly, "I was always meant to be the best, to be on top, to be given whatever I wanted." Tony tightened a steel fist as his voice dipped dangerously, "The only difference now… is that I just have to take it."

Joe stood, completely paralyzed, as Tony leaped towards him with his reflecting metal fist high in the air above – aimed straight for Joe's head.

But then, just before Tony could get close enough, a large bang rang out loud followed by a bright flash of light.

BANG!

Tony started coughing heavily as another bang rang – smoke following it this time – and forcing him to stumble backwards. "The hell?!" Tony roared out as think smoke filled the room.

"All units! Fall back!" A deepened female voice echoed out of one of the officer's radios, "Captain Singh is ordering a complete retreat to regroup!"

"No!" Tony roared out, "I haven't showed my true strength yet!" Tony raced forward through the smoke to find Detective West or one of the other CCPD officers, "GET BACK HERE!" Tony smirked when the smoke thinned slightly and he caught the outline of an officer. "FEEL THE WRATH OF A GOD!" Tony laughed wickedly as he brought his fist up and slammed it square into the center of the figure.

Tony's eyes widened when a blast of yellow hit his fist and made him stumble back to the side. Yellow light bled through the thinning smoke until Tony's vision cleared.

"What the hell are you?" Tony sneered at the figure. A black knitted ski masked, light pink bloused, skinny jean, nude heeled mess of a person stood tall in front of him.

Ellie smirked from behind her mask. "A nightmare like no other." Bright, yellow flame/lava-like glowing energy lit up around her hands.

Tony roared angrily as he swung his fist at Ellie. Ellie quickly dipped to the side and sent a blast of energy into Tony's side. The metal man went flying backwards into a shipping container – making a large dent in it from his body.

Tony growled low as he pushed his body up. His eyes quickly took in his surroundings before he twisted around to pick up the shipping container he was knocked into.

Ellie's smirk dropped into a frown suddenly as she watched Tony pick up the large shipping container as if it was nothing and toss it at her. Ellie quickly blasted the ground to shoot herself into the air to leap over the massive piece of metal.

Tony quickly continued his assault – throwing anything and everything he could either pick up or rip out of the wall or floor. While dodging series of flying filing cabinets, Ellie's ears caught a low, ragged cough. Her eyes quickly searched the area to catch a coughing CCPD officer on the ground with a small pool of blood around him. " _He must have been one of the unlucky ones that got shot by their own bullets._ " Ellie's mind supplied as she shot an energy blast at metal barrel being flung her way – sending the barrel back at Tony with a bang – before sprinting forward to grab the CCPD officer.

"Hey." Ellie spoke in a gruff tone. She wasn't sure if any of the CCPD officers would recognize her voice – seeing as she dispatched for them regularly – but wasn't about to take the chance either, "Can you stand?"

The officer hissed in pain, "I think… I think it just barely missed the artery in my leg. I just need a hand up." Ellie looked at the wound. It was high up on his thigh. There was no telling just how bad the damage was, but the officer was right. If it had nicked his artery, there would be a lot more blood. A lot more.

Ellie quickly looked up to see Tony throwing debris off of himself and getting up to face her. She knew she didn't have time to deal with both problems.

"I got him." A familiar, also similarly gruff, female voice spoke next to her.

"Bar-Ir- you." Ellie struggled out, "The hell are you doing?! You're going to get yourself killed!"

Iris just shoved at Ellie and pointed to where Tony was sprinting towards them, "GO!"

Ellie scowled but quickly leaped forward to smack her yellow glowing fist into Tony's shoulder – just barely missing his own fist as he grazed her cheek. Tony skidded backwards at the hit before looking up to smirk at her. Ellie frowned, " _Shit. My attacks are getting weaker._ " The brunette took a fighting stance, her glowing fists held tightly at her side, " _I need to end this quick._ "

Tony was the first to attack – starting with his right fist like he always did. Ellie leaned out of the attack – having already anticipated it – and slammed her fist into his metal jaw. Sparks flew at the contact and Ellie's eyes widened in curiosity as she watched bits of metal fly from the contact. She didn't let it distract her and quickly brought her left fist up to sucker punch him in the get.

Tony spat out in pain from the hard hit, but pushed through it to grab Ellie's left hand and flip her over his shoulder and into the ground – hard.

Ellie heaved in pain before reaching out to grab his arm with both hands and turning up the heat of her powers.

"AHHHH!" Tony screamed in agony as Ellie melted through the melt of his hand – causing half his body to shift back into a tanned olive color. Ellie quickly used his distracted state to send an energy blast into the center of his chest.

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Iris was helping the last CCPD officer limp out of the warehouse – and away from the super powered fight going on inside – when she saw Tony be flung through the air once more.

"Thanks." The officer coughed out as he pushed Iris away, pulling her gaze from the fight to the CCPD officer.

Iris gave the officer a confused look, "It's too far for you to walk from here." Iris motioned to the man's leg and moved to grab ahold of him again so he could use her as crutch. The man held out a hand to stop her before pulling his rifle around to use it as an impromptu crutch. Iris frowned, "We don't know how bad your wound is. You're going to make it worse. Just let me help you."

"No." The man coughed out before shaking his helmet covered head, "If you walk me any further, CCPD will arrest you for either interfering in a police take down, as a co-conspirator to Woodward, or as a vigilante."

Iris frowned again through her mask, "And you're stopping me because?"

The man let out a choked laugh, "You could have gotten yourself killed – you and your glowing handed friend – and you still might." The man paused before continuing, "But we probably would have ended up dead like Phillips and his team if you two hadn't interfered. It was you on the radio, right? Telling everyone to fall back? And with the flashbang and smoke bombs?"

Iris bristled, "What? How?"

The man laughed, "I volunteered to be on the SWAT task force, but I'm actually a CCPD Detective. I'd have to be a pretty lousy one not to notice the similarity in your voices."

Iris froze. Did that mean he knew who she was?

"Anyways…" The cop spoke again as he took a step forward while applying most of his weight to his good leg and rifle-crutch, "I think your friend needs your help."

Iris turned around to see Tony charging at Ellie and tackling her to the ground. Yellow light quickly exploded around them, sending Tony skidding across the ground, to the side.

Iris took a step forward to go help when Iris stopped suddenly and spun around to call out to man as he limped towards the exit, "Wait." The man turned around. "Who are you?" Iris asked.

The man let out a chuckle followed by a couple coughs. He reached up to pull off his helmet, revealing a head of blond hair and bright blue eyes, "The name's Eddie Thawne." Eddie turned around and began limping towards the exit – where he would be greeted by his team and paramedics. "Go save our city, miss guardian angel!"

Iris just stared at Eddie's back as he disappeared from view, due to the lingering smoke and bright lights from the outside.

BAM!

A loud bang made Iris jump and snap her head around. Her breath hitched as she saw Ellie struggling to push herself off the ground. There were pieces of metal and concrete scattered around her, leading Iris to guess that Ellie had just been violently tossed there by a certain metal man.

"Barbie!" Iris cried out.

Ellie turned her head to where Iris screamed her name as she balanced on her forearms. Ellie cursed lowly before waving Iris away, "Get out of here!" Ellie quickly swung a leg around to stand up – her thighs shaking at the exertion. "Go! I got this!"

Iris ignored her as she ran up and helped Ellie up. "What's wrong?" Iris asked quickly, "I thought your yellow energy blasts could take him out."

Ellie let out a painful breath of air as she straightened out her back. She hissed out breath through her teeth at her pulsing muscles and bruised skin. She was going to be feeling this for days. Ellie looked down at her glowing fists as they flickered slightly. Blue eyes shifted to Iris, "My powers are…" Ellie frowned at herself, "…very violate. I have to constantly suppress them. The act proves… difficult when I need to use it. I'm more practice in letting the energy run wild than controlling it. I'm likely at my limit of control." Ellie pushed more energy into her fists only for them to flicker again – like a dying flame.

"What would happen if you let go? Stopped trying to control it?" Iris asked as her eyes locked on Tony slowly walking towards them in his normal smug swag. Iris turned to look up at Ellie, "He's going to kill anyone that gets in his way and no one else can stop him but you."

Ellie slowly shook her head and bit the inside of her cheek, "Trust me Barista. Whatever your ex-bully could do doesn't compare to the pure terror and destruction my powers would unleash upon this world if I let go."

Iris's dark eyes snapped up at Ellie with hitch breath. It suddenly occurred to her that she didn't know anything about Ellie's powers or the woman herself really – other than some basic facts about her life. Iris shook her head. She'll deal with that later. Now, they needed to stop a man of steel.

"Has he slowed down or showed any weaknesses so far?" Iris asked quickly.

"I melted his arm and it caused him enough pain to make him partially revert back into his normal form." Ellie explained, "And when I hit him, metal shards flew off of him." Ellie frowned as she watched Tony walk over to the building's old generator and rip it out of the ground with a roar.

"Like paint flakes off of a car…" Iris mumbled lowly before speak up, "That's it!"

"Incoming!" Ellie shouted as she raised both of her glowing hands up and shot a beam of energy at the large metal generator flying at them. The attack made the generator explode with a bang – sending shrapnel out in every direction. Ellie quickly turned and covered Iris from the sharp debris.

"Barbie!" Iris called out when Ellie let out a strangled cry of pain as pieces of metal ripped through her back.

Ellie let out a ragged breath as her heart pounded rapidly. " _…going to have to pull all those out later… fuck._ " Ellie thought to herself before turning back towards Tony. Ellie's blue eyes narrowed dangerously as she growled at the man. Snapping her hands out, the yellow energy darkened around them violently. "You're going to pay for that." Ellie growled out.

Tony stopped a few feet in front of her and smirked smugly, "The only one that's going to pay here is you, bitch."

The two super powered beings sprinted forward and began fighting hand to hand again – fists meeting flesh; blood and metal bits flying.

"Barbie!" Iris called out as she raced away from the fight – knowing she would just get in the way.

Ellie spat up blood as Tony got a good hit in, straight to her gut, before pushing him back with another blast to his chest. He only stumbled back a few feet, telling her that her energy blasts were getting weaker. Ellie scowled before yelling out, "A bit busy here!"

"You need to concentrate all your power into one focused beam of energy!" Iris yelled out as she slid behind one of the more sturdy looking shipping containers, "Like Iron Man's palm blaster thing!"

"What?!" Ellie exclaimed while dropping to the ground to avoid Tony. Tony stumbled slightly giving Ellie an opening to send a small blast into his back. He fell forward, allowing Ellie enough time to jump to her feet.

"It's a comic book character that Barr- that someone I know read all the time." Iris yelled out, stumbling over Barry's name – thinking last second that she probably shouldn't mention her adoptive brother's name in a fight with his school bully. "I don't really know how it works, but he shoots this laser beams from his palms to melt through things! If you focus your fire energy thing to a laser point, you can melt through Tony's metal skin and take him out!"

"It's not fire!" Ellie yelled back before jumping out of the way of another of Tony's attacks. Ellie let out a deep breath and began to focus the yellow energy back into her hands. She was interrupted as she had to roll away to avoid Tony's metal fists. Ellie sprinted across the room and around the corner of one of the building's thick metal pillars. Ellie took another deep breath and tried to focus again, " _Slowly… slowly._ " She felt the energy start to build as sweat began to pour down her forehead and settling around her eyes, due to the ski mask.

A loud bang behind her knocked Ellie out of her concentration just before she dived out of the way to avoid the building's pillar coming down and crushing her.

Tony stood above her with a smirk, "Haven't you figured it out already? I'm unstoppable!"

Ellie's back stiffened when Tony began to bring his arms down quickly – intent to crush her to death.

"Tony Woodward!" Iris called out in her normal tone of voice.

Tony stilled in his movements before he slowly turned around. Standing a few yards away, with no mask, was Iris. Tony tilted his head to the side, "Iris West?" The metal man smirked, "I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me. No one can resist a god!"

Iris shook her head, "I'm here to stop you." Iris took a step forward, "You're insane! You aren't a god! You aren't even a decent human being! All you have ever been is a bully!"

Tony frowned angrily at Iris.

Iris continued, "And you know what?" Iris smirked, "It wasn't Barry or my Dad that got you kicked out of school." Iris held her head up high with her hands on her hips, "It was me."

Tony's fists tightened as he gritted his teeth in pure rage before roaring. "YOU'RE GOING TO PAY FOR THAT, BITCH!"

Iris just kept her head raised high and her breathing even as Tony sprinted towards her, the ground cracking under him as his feet stomped into the pavement; even as her heart beat rapidly and instincts screamed at her to move. " _Come on… you can do it… I believe in you…_ " Iris thought as she stared past Tony and locked eyes with yellow ones.

"DIE BITCH!" Tony roared as he stopped less than a foot from Iris with his metal fist raised high in the air.

"NOW!" Iris yelled out as she drove to the ground.

Tony's eyes widened before he screamed out in agony as an intense burning feeling hit him square in the back.

Ellie gritted her teeth as she pushed out and focus as much yellow energy as she could – wisps of yellow steam rolled off of her and sweat poured down her face and back. With a deep breath, Ellie let out a roar of power – pushing the last bits of energy she could out and sending Tony flying across the room.

Iris watched as Tony flew a short distance before hitting the ground – again and again, like a skipping rock – before hitting the thick concrete wall of the building. The gray wall cracked at the impact before pieces of it began to break off and land on Tony's form.

Ellie panted heavily before pushing herself up onto her shaky feet. The brunette walked slowly over to rumble and crouched on one knee next to it. Picking up a thin piece of concrete wall and moving it out of the way, Ellie let out a breath of relief.

"He's unconscious." Ellie called out to Iris.

Iris let out a deep breath of relief of her own, "Thank god."

Ellie nodded before she turned her head towards the entrance – where the police had staged.

"POLICE COMING IN! SURRENDER NOW WOODWARD!"

Ellie shook her head with a tired sigh as Iris quickly put her ski mask back on and ran towards Ellie. "Come on. We need to get out of here." Iris told Ellie quickly as she wrapped an arm around her and pulled her up.

Ellie leaned on Iris as they raced out through the hole in the wall that Tony had made with his body. The two quickly escaped back to where they left the car a few blocks away. Iris quickly unlocked the car and carefully helped Ellie into the passenger seat.

"Shit, shit, shit." Ellie hissed out as she leaned forward once in the car. " _Forgot about those lovely little shards in my back._ " Ellie thought to herself.

Iris sprinted around the car and quickly opened the door to sit down in driver's seat. Iris leaned forward to turn on the car's engine and pulled out onto the road.

Ellie rested her forehead on the dashboard and closed her eyes as she felt the car get on the freeway. "Wake me up when we get back to the house." Ellie muttered tiredly before she swiftly passed out.

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* * *

 _ **April 20, 2013 – West Residence, Central City**_

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"ARG! Shootapickle!" Ellie shouted out in pain as Iris pulled out another metal shard from her back.

Iris held the shard up with a pair of disinfected needle-nose-pliers before sending Ellie a judgmental look, "Really?" Iris asked with a raised eyebrow, "Shoot-a-pickle?"

Ellie growled at Iris, "I have an eight year old brother, if you'll recall." Ellie straightened her back and walked over to where her shirt was. She picked it up and looked at with a mournful look, "That was one of my favorite blouses."

Iris rolled her eyes as she tossed the blood soaked metal shard into the small trash bin before bringing the pliers to the sink to wash the blood off. Iris had to dig a couple pieces out of Ellie's back when the metal broke off while pulling it out. Iris had nearly puked when doing it, but then Ellie threatened telling Iris's father everything if she didn't do it – and do it quick.

"I'll go get you a shirt." Iris told her as she put the pliers back in the junk drawer and made her way up the stairs to her room. Iris grabbed the first shirt she saw and made her way back down with it in hand. As she rounded the corner, into the living room, she saw Ellie picking up the remote to turn up the TV.

" _ **Tell everyone you know that you heard it from here first! Central City has its own 'Arrow' and she's not just any vigilante.**_ " The female anchor told the camera, " _ **According to our investigators on the ground, a dozen of CCPD's finest were nearly killed tonight by wanted man, Woodward, aka the 'man of steel' but were saved just in the nick of time by a ski mask wearing super woman!**_ "

Iris walked up behind Ellie and stare wide eyed at the TV as she lifelessly handed the woman her t-shirt. "Are they… are they talking about us?" Iris asked in a bewildered tone.

Ellie nodded with a bored look as she pulled the t-shirt over her head while taking a bit of the very cold pizza they had left behind. "Uhuh." Ellie mumbled out through the pizza, "When I turned it on, they were talking to Captain Singh. He looked pissed, but I didn't turn it up in time to catch what they asked him."

Iris frowned. That didn't sound promising.

" _ **But what makes her so special Jenny? So super?**_ " The male news anchor asked his coworker. The woman was quick to respond, " _ **This vigilante's hands glowed like the stars in the night sky!**_ " The man gasped, " _ **Are you saying that Central City's vigilante has super powers Jenny?! Just like in the comics?!**_ " The woman laughed confidently, " _ **You bet I am Mark. According to the reports, this star-powered super woman took down Woodward – saving our city from his tyranny, I might add – with beams of light coming from her hands! Unfortunately, the smoke kept our people on the ground from getting any clear shots...**_ "

Ellie gave the news anchor a bland look, "Muscle head was hardly a tyrant." The brunette snorted, "He was hardly a threat for four hours!"

Iris brought a hand up to cover her agape mouth before turning slowly to Ellie. "They think you're a superhero Barbie!"

Ellie chewed on her pizza as she raised an eyebrow at Iris, "Ok?"

Iris just stared wildly at Ellie, "They're reporting that you saved city!"

Ellie rolled her eyes, "First, I hardly save the city and second, you were there with me." Ellie looked down to brush the pizza crust crumbs off of her as she spoke, "If the city was indeed 'saved', then you saved the city too."

Iris shook her head at Ellie, "I didn't take down a psychopath made of metal with super powers." Iris smirked, "Even if you did get tossed around a lot like some kind of Barbie doll."

Ellie's eye twitched, "Well then, next time _**you**_ get to take on the evil, gray version of the Incredible Hulk."

Iris's smirk widened into a large grin as her dark brown eyes lit up – they were practically sparkling.

Ellie paled, "Oh no. No, no, no, no! That was _**not**_ an acceptance or invitation or whatever to…" Ellie couldn't even form the words, "You know what I mean!"

"You mean become a super heroine, crime fighting, ass kicking, people saving team?!" Iris exclaimed with an excited look on her face.

"People saving?" Ellie asked with a confused look, "Why are you so bad at the English language?"

Iris ignored her friend as she walked around the coffee table and placed her hands on Ellie's shoulders, "I would be the eyes and ears – doing what I do best: gathering information, talking to people, building connections, coming up with strategies…"

"Or you could just continue school and become an investigator reporter." Ellie supplied dryly, "You know – your dream."

Iris continued as if Ellie hadn't spoken, "While you would be out there… fighting crime… saving the day!"

"I don't _**do**_ save the day things." Ellie grounded out, "I normally do the opposite of the 'save the day' thing."

"You could be... Superwoman!" Iris exclaimed as she jumped up and ran over to the front door to grab the pen and paper she left there. Iris quickly wrote the name down to see how it looked, visually. It had to be perfect. It would define them and Central City for years to come. It _**had**_ to be perfect!

"Really? Superwoman?" Ellie asked dryly before shaking her head, "You're distracting me! The answer is still no! I'm not going to become a superhero!"

Iris bit her lip – not liking the look of 'Superwoman'. "What about Supergirl?" Iris mumbled to herself out loud.

Ellie raised her hands with her palms up, looking offended, "What? I got downgraded?!" Ellie growled, "Wait, I will not be tricked! This was a one-time act to save your dad. No more, no less!"

Iris shook her head, "Supergirl doesn't sound right… Hmmm…" Iris tapped the pen cap against her chin, "What did that news anchor say? Glowed like stars in the night sky or something right?" Iris started pacing, "Star, star, star… woman?"

Ellie groaned, "It's getting worse!"

"No… too old school." Iris mumbled, "Star… fire? Starfire?"

"My powers have nothing to do with fire!" Ellie complained, "Fire is a chemical reaction involving the bonding of oxygen with carbon or other fuel, with the production of heat and the presence of flame or smoldering while I control a dense form of light energy which-"

"That's it!" Iris exclaimed while snapping her fingers. Iris grinned as she grabbed Ellie by the shoulders again and shook her back and forth, "You're a genius Barbie! Star **light**! It's perfect! The star-light that lights up Central City through the darkest of nights! Central City's Starlight!" Iris quickly let go of Ellie and wrote the name down on her paper. Iris punched the air before proceeding to dance around her living room, "Starlight, Starlight, the savior of Central City, here comes Starlight!"

Ellie stared Iris with her mouth agape, "What in god's name are you doing?"

"Singing your future theme song." Iris answered plainly, like she was talking about the weather. Iris quickly went back to her piece of paper and began writing, "We'll need a base of operations… a decent police and fire scanner… something to allow me to communicate with you while you're out saving lives… medical equipment... lots and lots of medical equipment."

"We need none of those things because I'm not becoming a superhero!" Ellie grounded out before pausing and taking a step back from Iris, "Why do you think we need lots and lots of medical equipment?"

Iris lifted her head up to stare wildly at Ellie – like Iris was a mad scientist and Ellie was her experiment – while pointing her pen at Ellie, "Costume. We need to get you something… something that says Starlight. I'm thinking red?"

Ellie gave Iris a deadpanned look, "Oh yeah, it will go great with the yellow beams of light I shoot out of my hands." Ellie hissed, "People will definitely think I have fire powers then!"

Iris nodded, "Point. Black it is then." Iris began pacing again as she mumbled, "I bet I can find a good starting point if I go through the comic books in Barry's room…" And with that, Iris ran up to Barry's room – to do research on a subject she had never studied before.

How to be a Badass Superhero and Brains behind the Superhero 101

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"DAMMIT BARISTA! I'M NOT GOING TO BE A SUPERHERO!"

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* * *

 **Author's Note:**

After watching the CW's The Flash, I found myself enjoying it even though I'm an old school Flash Fan (Wally West from the old school comics being my jam) and the CW's spin of the Flash is a… bit different. However, Iris West was always a character I respected and treasured, and I like this new Iris – with all her flaws – but **_hate_** how she is used and twisted for plotline purposes. I especially **_can't stand_** how they approached Barry and Iris's romantic relationship. It feels weird and forced and after watching all four seasons almost three times now (some episodes more), I will have to admit (and this kills me) that Barry… is a complete creepy stalker for Iris. Maybe if they weren't practically siblings to start off with… maybe if Eddie wasn't such a great guy and every time Barry flirts with Iris (in front of Eddie) it didn't seem like a very un-Barry Allen like thing to do… and maybe if we weren't immediately introduced to the fact that Barry loves Iris before we **_developed Iris_**. Why does Barry like her? I mean **_I know_** why Barry Allen loves Iris West, but I don't know why CW's Barry loves CW's Iris. I get it, she's a plot point. Save the world, get the girl. It's just frustrating and makes me see Barry as a creepy stalker and urgg!

So I had to correct this – or at least throw a bunch of words and thoughts at my computer and hope for the best.

I wanted to create a story in which **_Iris_** was a hero – or heroine – but I also didn't want to change who she was by making her –insert special powers here- person. I wanted to build a story where she could be the best version of herself. I want her to fall in love, save the world, become the city's best investigatory report, get her man, build her family, and then make some of nanna's hot chocolate and share all the stories of her life with her grandkids.

And I want the same for Barry. Just… maybe not with Iris? Don't kill me!

And I'm hoping… with this ridiculously long story (if looking at how freaking looooong my first chapter of this story ended up being), I'm hoping to succeed. If not slightly.


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